Paul Gascoigne pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman on a train

Paul Gascoigne pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman on a train

Paul Gascoigne has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman by kissing her on a train.

The former England footballer, 51, was arrested while travelling on a CrossCountry service from York to Newcastle on 20 August.

He was later charged with sexual assault by touching.

The alleged incident is said to have happened at Darlington and involved a woman over 16.

Gascoigne appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court in December to enter a not guilty plea.

Image:Gascoigne has said he was defending a woman who had been called a ‘fat cow’

He elected to be tried by a jury and his trial will take place at Teesside Crown Court.

The retired footballer, who played for Newcastle United, Spurs, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton, among other clubs, previously protested his innocence on Twitter, saying he had stepped in to comfort a woman after she was called a “fat cow”.

Gascoigne, known affectionately as “Gazza”, was regarded as one of the most talented English footballers of his generation, winning 57 caps.

The Gateshead-born midfielder was a key player for England at both the 1990 World Cup and the 1996 European Championship.